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brii_brii's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
screamdogreads's review
4.0
"Who we are and what we have done is etched upon the flesh."
Dripping with a decadent gothic atmosphere, Surgeon's Hall is a dark and grisly historical mystery novel following the ever amazing Jem Flockhart. In this installment in the series, the intensity, and the amount of utterly gruesome scenes, seems to have really ramped up. The advancement of medical science during the era is on full display, including the increased demand for bodies, and the less than ethical means of obtaining them.
Each book in this series is fantastically researched, a fact that becomes clearer with every book that you read. Throughout the novel, the author has delicately scattered tiny clues as to the nature of the mystery, and by the end, you almost feel as if you can figure out just what happened, and yet, somehow, you still end up utterly blindsided.
This book makes for an amazing puzzle of a novel, and is a worthwhile read for any historical fiction fan.
"I accept my fate, when it comes, but I ask you to look to my nieces, Flockhart, to help Lilith and her sisters, and protect them from whoever, from whatever, awaits them in the darkness."
Dripping with a decadent gothic atmosphere, Surgeon's Hall is a dark and grisly historical mystery novel following the ever amazing Jem Flockhart. In this installment in the series, the intensity, and the amount of utterly gruesome scenes, seems to have really ramped up. The advancement of medical science during the era is on full display, including the increased demand for bodies, and the less than ethical means of obtaining them.
Each book in this series is fantastically researched, a fact that becomes clearer with every book that you read. Throughout the novel, the author has delicately scattered tiny clues as to the nature of the mystery, and by the end, you almost feel as if you can figure out just what happened, and yet, somehow, you still end up utterly blindsided.
This book makes for an amazing puzzle of a novel, and is a worthwhile read for any historical fiction fan.
"I accept my fate, when it comes, but I ask you to look to my nieces, Flockhart, to help Lilith and her sisters, and protect them from whoever, from whatever, awaits them in the darkness."
happlepider's review
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Felt that the language and atmosphere worked really well in developing a sense of place, of a murky victorian london which is still commonplace to its occupants. Also it had a suitably large cast of possible subjects, who were all recognisable from one another, which a lot of recent mysteries I've read haven't had. Didn't realise until afterwards, but it is book 4 of a series, and I would be interested in reading the rest, although I think I've been given a lot of spoilers from reading this one first.
sophb84's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
_hex_libris's review
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fionayule's review
3.0
I did not realise, until I started reading this, that its part of a series where Jem Flockhart investigates.
I was attracted to this mainly due to the title: Surgeon’s Hall is now a museum in Edinburgh, but anyone familiar with its history knows that its linked to the medical anatomists and resurrectionists of Victorian Edinburgh. Not mention the gruesome exhibits still contained in the museum. I knew when I requested this that it was going to be a grisly, dark, Victorian novel. Let’s say I wasn’t disappointed.
For those of you whose stomach churn at the thought of blood and gore, then this novel is not for you. The descriptions of the dissected bodies are not for the squeamish. This however does not detract from this excellent novel.
Whilst visiting the Great Exhibition Jem discovers a severed hand in one of the displays. Fearing a student prank, the path to the owner of the hand leads her to Corvus Hall, anatomy school in London.
What Jem encounters is a wall of silence, seemingly dating back to evens in Surgeons Hall, Edinburgh 30 years before. The investigation is only part of the novel though. Part of the themes is the patriarchal society of Victorian Britain, were “delicate women” were not allowed to practice medicine. Also, more horrifically the attitude of the medical men, and anatomists, to the lower classes, and the procurement of fresh bodies.
Add to this good characters that Jem encounters, the mysterious sisters Silence, Sorrow and Lilith Crowe, and the hilarious Mrs Roseplucker and Mrs Speedicut this makes an altogether excellent Victorian investigation into the goings on in an Anatomy School.
Its not for the squeamish though.
I was attracted to this mainly due to the title: Surgeon’s Hall is now a museum in Edinburgh, but anyone familiar with its history knows that its linked to the medical anatomists and resurrectionists of Victorian Edinburgh. Not mention the gruesome exhibits still contained in the museum. I knew when I requested this that it was going to be a grisly, dark, Victorian novel. Let’s say I wasn’t disappointed.
For those of you whose stomach churn at the thought of blood and gore, then this novel is not for you. The descriptions of the dissected bodies are not for the squeamish. This however does not detract from this excellent novel.
Whilst visiting the Great Exhibition Jem discovers a severed hand in one of the displays. Fearing a student prank, the path to the owner of the hand leads her to Corvus Hall, anatomy school in London.
What Jem encounters is a wall of silence, seemingly dating back to evens in Surgeons Hall, Edinburgh 30 years before. The investigation is only part of the novel though. Part of the themes is the patriarchal society of Victorian Britain, were “delicate women” were not allowed to practice medicine. Also, more horrifically the attitude of the medical men, and anatomists, to the lower classes, and the procurement of fresh bodies.
Add to this good characters that Jem encounters, the mysterious sisters Silence, Sorrow and Lilith Crowe, and the hilarious Mrs Roseplucker and Mrs Speedicut this makes an altogether excellent Victorian investigation into the goings on in an Anatomy School.
Its not for the squeamish though.
arachan's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I will confess that I got most of the way through this book without realizing the main character was a woman. I had noticed her burgeoning romance with Will Quartermain or at least the signs of a 'will they, won't they' story-arc but I had wondered if it was intentionally queer or if Jem might be a transman. I think Jem could still be read that way without much difficulty in this book. I haven't read the rest of the series but maybe it's more obvious there? The romantic underpinning is very slight and mostly background so that shouldn't be a turnoff. The murder story is very interesting and there are several twists.
andf's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
laughterhp's review
4.0
I love this series. I get sucked in so quickly and never want to put the book down. Jem’s world is so dark and full of death and intrigue, I just need to find out what’s going to happen next. Another solid mystery in this series.
jennjuniper's review
4.0
I think these books are getting more grisly, I gasped in horror at least four times.
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